Maybe users changed over the span of 16 years, while being daily exposed to touch screens? Remember, in 2010 the idea of using a finger was novel.
Well my arms didn't get longer, that's for sure. Also MacOS and software made for MacOS doesn't optimize for touch targets unlike something that will be distributed on iOS/iPadOS.
The phenomenon is called "Gorilla arm syndrome" so not sure what to think of when I read "maybe users changed" :)
Not that novel. The first ergonomics studies on touchscreens were done in the seventies. In 2010, touchscreens were already sophisticated technology and well established in many settings.
I got my first laptop with a digital pen and touchscreen in 2008 or so. They were rare back then, but nothing groundbreaking new. The touchscreen did suck though.
I don't know why you got downvoted, it's true. A lot of screens were touch screen even in the 90s, but they were typically single-touch rather than multi-touch capacitive interfaces. They were used a lot (and still are) in Point of Sale terminals, for example, where an employee needs to stand and ring up sales.
It's not the finger, it's the arm. Remember light pens?